An academy for growth and guidance

Why we still need a women’s day?

And yet another Women’s day passed with the usual posts on social media, pink runs organized in cities and women’s day offers at malls and at restaurants. Of course, with that people assume women are happy and for another year they will remain “quiet”. And that’s the reason we still need women’s day; and not just once a year, through the year. Some men of course feel threatened with the concept, and surprisingly some of the women too aren’t happy about it. They feel that the very fact we have a dedicated day for women proves women aren’t equal to men.

Women are equal, but women aren’t treated equal. One part of the changing society might actually feel liberated and believe that times have changed, but sadly, most women across the globe wouldn’t agree.

In a recent interview Meghan Markle quoted that people keep saying – we are helping women find their voices. She is completely against the statement because she believes women have voices, they just need to feel empowered enough to use them, and people need to be encouraged to listen.

In no way has our country, or for that matter, other countries too, reached a place where we can safely say things are changing for women. Women are sexually harassed and assaulted. Women are discriminated against in the workplace. Women are excluded from political decision-making. Even women who “have it all” can’t seem to get it right. Working mothers are reprimanded for not being present enough for their children or at work.

From celebrities to the crowds, women just can’t seem to strike the right chord. From a woman’s outfit to her maternal duties, everything is being commented on. Have we really moved ahead? It’s like women were given freedom but with a leash which will pull them back if they “overuse” it.

Of course, if we move to another section of women that doesn’t even have access to basic sanitation; we realize it may be decades before gender becomes only a biological term.

Workplaces celebrate women’s day with pink balloons and roses with a theme for the women on 8th March and rest of the year women fight against harassment in the office. Husbands take wives out for a meal on Women’s day and then next morning she is expected to wake up at 5 am, begin her “chores” in the kitchen and look after her in-laws.

These are simple instances, but the implications of the transformation through the year are huge!

Do all women feel this way? No. If you are one of those lucky women, then you must thank your stars. Because from women not being “allowed” to drive in Saudi Arabia, to women not being “allowed” to work in India, there is a lot that still needs to change. The fact that women need to be “allowed” to do things is what needs to be looked into.

On that note, it’s also important to understand that feminism aims at gender equality. This is not a war against the men. It’s a war against inequality. The rise of women does not mean the fall of men! Pro-women does not mean anti-men. Pro-women is anti-abuse, anti-discrimination and anti-inequality.

The day we feel women’s day is just another day and all days seem like women’s day as much as men’s day, that day we’ll know we have truly achieved equality.